Perfumed package for a solid diffusing material

ABSTRACT

A vaporizable solid mass to be used as a deodorant room freshener is packaged with a separately contained perfumed mass. The perfume retains its aromatic potency during shelf storage and use of the deodorant freshener product.

United States atent [1 1 Curran Sept. 24, I974 PERFUMED PACKAGE FOR A SOLID DIFFUSING MATERIAL Frank J. Curran, Downers Grove, Ill.

Frank J. Curran Co., Downers Groves, 111.

Filed: Nov. 10, 1972 Appl. No.: 305,263

Inventor:

Assignee:

US. Cl 239/57, 206/.5, 220/4 R Int. Cl A611 9/04, B65d 85/00 Field of Search 206/.5, 46 PV; 220/ 17;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l/1953 Valentine 239/56 2,994,404 8/1961 Schifferly 206/46 PV 3,129,888 4/1964 OHagan 1 1 239/57 3,515,302 6/1970 Curran 239/57 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 365,253 6/1906 France 239/57 Primary Examiner-William T. Dixson, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmMann, Brown, McWilliams & Bradway [5 7 ABSTRACT A vaporizable solid mass to be used as a deodorant room freshener is packaged with a separately contained perfumed mass. The perfume retains its aromatic potency during shelf storage and use of the deodorant freshener product.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PERFUMED PACKAGE FOR A SOLID DIFF USING MATERIAL CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This invention relates to improvements on the products disclosed in Frank .I. Curran US. Pat. No. 3,515,302,issued June 2, 1970, and US Pat. No. 3,565,339, issued Feb. 23, I971.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed to improvements in a package which can be placed on a flat surface, as, for example, on a table or a mantle and which will permit vapor to diffuse from a mass of solid vaporizable material in order to provide a deodorant, odorant, fumigant or other vapor in the space in which the package is set. The improvement consists in providing a medium in which to carry a vaporizable perfume which will not be adversely affected by the odor of the vaporizable mass.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the improved package in accordance with my invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a separately wrapped component of the improved package.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another separately wrapped component of the improved package.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view partially in elevation and partially in vertical cross section showing the construction of the package and the arrangement of its contents.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The numeral 1 indicates generally the body portion of a cylindrically shaped container preferably made of plastic material such as polyethylene or polypropylene. While I prefer to make the body from plastic material, it may be made from metallic wire or cardboard. In accordance with my US. Pat. Nos. 3,515,302 and 3,565,339 the body portion is molded in the form of a cylindrical bird cage with vertical ribs 3 and horizontal ribs 5. A plurality of vents or windows 7 are formed between the intersecting ribs which allow the vapors of solid body which may be composed of vaporizable material or of solid not vaporizable material impregnated with vaporizable material to escape.

The upper and lower ends of the body are formed with horizontal annular ribs 9 and 11. Base 13 having a flat rim portion 15 and an upstanding collar portion 17 is adapted to be friction fitted to the bottom of body portion 1. The inner surface 19 of collar 17 immediately adjacent to the top end thereof has a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the bottom rib 11. The surface diameter greatly decreases inwardly of the collar 17 until it is slightly less than the diameter of rib 11 as shown at 21. The inner surface of collar 17 between the section 21 and the rib 15 is undercut or recessed at 23 to provide a seat for the bottom rib 11. Since the surface 17 has a diameter slightly less than the diameter of rib 11 the face will remain attached to the body portion until pulled apart.

The top 25 has a structure similar to that described with respect to bottom 13. Although the top shown in the drawing is conical in shape with the decoration to resemble a pagoda. It is to be understood that any shape of top to give the desired ornamental affect may be used. The top has a collar 27 depending from under the surface thereof. The internal surface 29 of the collar 27 immediately adjacent to the end 31 is slightly greater than the top rib 9 so that the collar can be slipped over the rib. The diameter of the section 33 of the inside surface of collar 27 immediately adjacent to area 29 has a diameter slightly less than the diameter of rib 9. Immediately adjacent to the area 33 the surface of the collar is undercut at 35 to provide a seat for the rib 9 when the top is forced unto the top end of the body portion.

A solid mass of deodorant, etc. 37, such as paradiclorobenzene or naphthalene may be molded to the shape of body 1 and placed therein. As shown in FIG. 3, several small cakes of deodorant such as 37a 37g may be stacked to form mass 37. The solid body of odorant may be first wrapped in cellophane or plastic material 39 in order to seal it against vaporization. The vapor impermeable Wrapper may be provided with tear strip 41 to assist in exposing the vaporizable material to the atmosphere. A piece 43 of cotton or other absorbent material is impregnated with a perfume or other sweet smelling lingering odorant substance. The impregnated absorbent material 43 may be placed in a polyethylene bag 45 with diffusion holes or pores 47 in the surface. The size of these holes or pores is such as to meter the dispersion of the perfume fragrance. The bag 45 is enclosed in a vapor tight bag or overwrap 49 to prevent a premature loss of the perfume during shipment, storage and display. Tear strip 51 is provided to permit exposure of the perfumed component to the atmosphere. The overwrapped perfumed component is placed in the hollow section of top 25. The holes 53 provided in top 25 permit the perfumed substance to escape upwards when the air freshener is used. The overwrap 39 for the solid mass of deodorant 37 prevents the perfume from commingling with the vaporizable solid material and being diluted by its aromatic affect. In addition to the wrapper placed around the solid mass of deodorant and the wrapper around the perfumed material, an additional display wrapper (not shown) of cellophane or other material having a low permeability to vapor may be placed over the perfumed package to further prevent vaporization and sublimation of the solid mass while retaining the persistent fragrance of the perfume. This permits a reasonable shelf life for display and permits the user to get the benefit of all the aromas packaged. The overwrap of course may be printed to contain packaging information directions for use, decorative art work, etc.

Typically the perfumed product would be used as follows. A housewife decides to use the air freshener in her kitchen or bathroom. First she reads the directions printed on the outer display wrapper and then removes the package from the wrapper. Following the directions, she removes top 25 from body 1. She slides the wrapped vaporizable mass 37 out of body 1 and opens the wrapper 39 by pulling tear strip 41 which exposes the material 37 to the atmosphere and permits it to freely vaporize. The solid vaporizable material 37 is then reinserted into body 1. The protectively wrapped perfumed absorbent material is removed from top 25. The overwrap or bag 49 is opened by pulling tear strip 51 and is discarded. The remaining perforated bag 45 with the pores or dispersion openings 47 exposed to the atmosphere is reinserted into top 25. Then the top 25 is snap fitted over rib 9 of body 1 and the freshener is functioning. The air freshener may be set upon base 13 and the sweet fragrance or aroma of the perfume will mask the antiseptic odor of the solid vaporizable material. As an alternate method, the structure may be supported by a string or cord (not shown) from aperture 55.

I claim:

1. In a package comprising a container and a solid mass of material of the group consisting of odorants, deodorants, fumigants, insecticides and insect repellants, an overwrap enclosing said solid mass, a tear strip on the overwrap for removing the overwrap from the solid mass, said container having a hollow elongated body portion to receive said solid mass with vents spaced throughout the walls thereof, a separable base fastened to the bottom of said body portion, a separable top fastened to the top of said body portion, the surface of the base and top and the top and bottom of said container having interfitting grooves and projections providing detachable frictional connections between said top and bottom of said container and said top and base, the improvement comprising positioning within said container and independently of said solid mass a small mass of absorbent material impregnated with an amount of perfume sufficient to mask the odor of said solid mass of material, a flexible enclosure for said small mass, a plurality of diffusion holes in the enclosure to meter the dispersion of a fragrance therefrom, a vapor-tight overwrap for said small mass in said enclosure, and a tear strip for removing the overwrap from the small mass enclosure.

2. The package as set forth in claim 1 wherein said perfume impregnated absorbent material is within said separable top and said top is provided with vent holes for exposure of said perfume impregnated material to atmosphere. 

1. In a package comprising a container and a solid mass of material of the group consisting of odorants, deodorants, fumigants, insecticides and insect repellants, an overwrap enclosing said solid mass, a tear strip on the ovErwrap for removing the overwrap from the solid mass, said container having a hollow elongated body portion to receive said solid mass with vents spaced throughout the walls thereof, a separable base fastened to the bottom of said body portion, a separable top fastened to the top of said body portion, the surface of the base and top and the top and bottom of said container having interfitting grooves and projections providing detachable frictional connections between said top and bottom of said container and said top and base, the improvement comprising positioning within said container and independently of said solid mass a small mass of absorbent material impregnated with an amount of perfume sufficient to mask the odor of said solid mass of material, a flexible enclosure for said small mass, a plurality of diffusion holes in the enclosure to meter the dispersion of a fragrance therefrom, a vapor-tight overwrap for said small mass in said enclosure, and a tear strip for removing the overwrap from the small mass enclosure.
 2. The package as set forth in claim 1 wherein said perfume impregnated absorbent material is within said separable top and said top is provided with vent holes for exposure of said perfume impregnated material to atmosphere. 